The Daughter of Tony Stark

A World Divided; Chapter 12

   We had just reached the chamber's doors when my father lifted up a hand. "I got heat signatures."

"How many?" Steve asked, tensing. Bucky mirrored his actions.

"Uh, one." I wrinkled my nose in confusion. The super soldiers lifted their weapons and I my hand, and the Iron Man knocked open the door. As the lights turned on, I had to stifle a scream. The five other super soldiers were dead, a bullet hole in their foreheads.

"If it's any comfort, they died in their sleep." We all turned, and I tried to read his mind to find him. Somehow, the protection in the room was preventing me. "Did you really think I wanted more of you?" Zemo hissed. As I glanced around the room, I realized three cryogenic tanks were empty and open. "I'm grateful to them, though. They brought you here."

I turned my head as a light came to life inside another room, revealing Zemo's ugly face. Steve through his shield at the tiny window, but it bounced off. Zemo grinned. "Please, Captain. The Soviets built this chamber to withstand the launch blast of a few 100 rockets."

"Where are the others?" I called while Tony said at the same time sharply, "I'm betting I can beat that!" Zemo grinned.

"The two Starks," he chuckled. "Atlantis, do you mean the Elementals?" I flinched. "Like you, they are only children. I found it unnecessary to kill them, so I let them go. They were innocent." Zemo appeared behind a door, and the four of us crowded around him.

"You killed innocent people in Vienna," Steve said darkly. "Just to bring us here?" Zero glared at Steve with hatred.

"I thought about nothing else for over a year. I studied you, I followed you." He paused as if he found new information. "But now that you are standing here, I just realized... There's a bit of green in the blue of your eyes. How nice to find a flaw."

"You're Sokovian," I realized, catching the others' attention. "Is this just to avenge your state?"

"Sokovia was a failed state long before your father blew it to hell," Zemo told me. Unlike Steve, he stated it as if I was a student he was teaching. He didn't hate me for what had happened in Sokovia. "No. I'm here because I made a promise."

"You lost someone," Steve said softly, and Zemo nodded slightly, angered more that it was Steve talking and not me.

"I lost everyone," Zemo snarled. "And so will you."

The computer beside my father came to life. We all glanced over as words appeared on the screen.

16 December 1991

"An empire toppled by its enemies can rise again," Zemo commented as we watched the screen. "But one which crumbles within... that's dead. Forever." As the video started to play, my father began to shake slightly.

"I know that road," he said shakily. "What is this?" I kept my eyes on the screen, rapt by the video playing. A car suddenly came from one end, spinning out of control until it crashed into a tree. The hood of the car lit on fire, and a small blur whizzed by the car.

A motorcycle appeared and parked beside the car. A man dressed in black climbed off. I noticed a quick flash of... his metal arm. I looked to Bucky in confusion, and I was returned with his solemn face. Tears were in the corners of his eyes. I understood immediately. This was one of the Winter Soldier's missions.

I turned back to the screen as a white-haired man crawled out of the car. "Help my wife," he pleaded. "Please, help her." The Soldier merely grabbed the man by his hair and dragged him beside the car. Three punches to the face and he was dead.